Interprofessionality is defined as “the development of a cohesive practice between professionals from different disciplines” (D’Amour & Oandasan, 2005, p.9). It is a process by which professionals engage in collaborative interaction involving knowledge sharing, provide cohesive interventions and optimize patient participation. Interprofessionality is “an education and practice orientation, an approach to care and education where educators and practitioners collaborate synergistically” (p.10).

Clinical settings provide students with the real life experiences required to grow as professionals. Students have the opportunity to test out and reflect upon what has been learned in their various educational programs, and to examine how it applies to their practice. This section provides preceptors with learning content, teaching strategies and success indicators that reinforce four interprofessional education competencies: 1) appreciation of professional roles and responsibilities; 2) understanding of how to work effectively with diversity; 3) participation in productive dialogue; and 4) empowering team dynamics. Mastery of the four competencies as a practitioner and team member should potentially lead to interprofessionality in the health care system.

A team cannot achieve optimal collaborative interaction without the personal investment of individuals in understanding diversity and how to maximize the roles of different disciplines in patient care. Based on this assumption, the learning content has been divided into two sections - practitioner and team member. Each of these two broad sections are further subdivided into more specific content that can be used by preceptors to guide interprofessional education in the clinical setting or by students to plan their learning. The outcomes of the different learning activities are to assist in the development of the four interprofessional education competencies: appreciation of professional roles, understanding of how to work effectively with diversity, productive dialogue and empowering teams.